Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 51

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

विकीर्य पत्रपुष्पाद्यैर्मध्ये कुंभं निधाय च । परितस्तस्य चतुरः कलशान् दिक्षु विन्यसेत्

Transliteration

vikīrya patrapuṣpādyairmadhye kuṃbhaṃ nidhāya ca | paritastasya caturaḥ kalaśān dikṣu vinyaset

Translation

Nachdem man Blätter, Blumen und dergleichen ausgestreut hat, stelle man in die Mitte den heiligen Kumbha, das Wassergefäß; und ringsum ordne man vier rituelle Kalaśas in den vier Himmelsrichtungen an.

Word by Word

• विकीर्य: having scattered
• विकीर्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/क्त्वा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-कीर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having scattered’

• पत्रपुष्पाद्यैः: with leaves, flowers, etc.
• पत्रपुष्पाद्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र + पुष्प + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/इतरेतरद्वन्द्व (patra-puṣpa) + ‘ādi’ (etc.), नपुंसक/पुंभाव, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — locative singular

• कुम्भम्: a pot
• कुम्भम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — accusative singular

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/क्त्वा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having placed’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय — conjunction

• परितः: around
• परितः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Spatial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय — adverb ‘around’

• तस्य: of it/of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: विशेषण (Qualifier/संख्या)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — accusative plural (numeral adjective)

• कलशान्: pots
• कलशान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — accusative plural

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन — locative plural

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange
• विन्यसेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-स्य (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should arrange/place’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Describes kumbha-kalaśa arrangement foundational to consecration; establishes a microcosmic ‘field’ for invoking Śiva’s presence and distributing sanctity to quarters.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that outer order in worship—center and four quarters—supports inner steadiness, making the mind fit to approach Shiva (Pati) through disciplined devotion and purity.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The central kumbha and surrounding kalaśas form a consecrated ritual field for Saguna worship, preparing the space where Shiva is invoked and honored through tangible offerings and prescribed placements.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A kalasha-sthāpana style arrangement: decorate the altar with leaves and flowers, place a central kumbha, then set four kalaśas in the four directions—supporting focused japa and puja to Shiva.